The president of the St. Louis School Board said she is focused on moving on in the wake of firing a former superintendent, leadership voids and questionable credit card charges.
Toni Cousins said in an interview with KSDK, “There was questionable spending in regard to the superintendent,” referring to former Saint Louis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett.
Cousins, who is running for re-election, said she believed the board made the right decision, although Scarlett has threatened legal action.
“It was best for us to sever ties with her,” said Cousins.
She said red flags surfaced some nine months into the superintendent entering the role.
“It really came upon the time when it was more so time for her evaluation…. We started to have questions and concerns on the things we were looking at, mostly the hiring practices,” Cousins said.
“We really were kind of disappointed, we were taken aback. We had huge expectations.”
“Most of that $1.6 million was for professional development… This is how you see your return on investments. Our students’ reading levels have improved.”
Former school board member Sadie Weiss resigned publicly last week, citing unprofessional behavior and concerns about charges on the board secretary’s credit card.
In an interview with KSDK, Weiss said when she started asking questions, she was met with resistance.
“She has the ability just like every other board member, she can go to the secretary and say, ‘Can I see the credit card statements?’” Cousins said.
“I encourage any board member to do it.”
Weiss also told KSDK that there were times she felt it was a “two-person show” of Cousins and Board Vice President Matt Davis.
“That’s what I struggle with,” Cousins said.
“It takes four votes to accomplish anything…. You have to be present and involved and not just at the board meeting…. It’s not just a Matt and Toni show.”
Cousins also addressed charges on district credit cards that included travel and flight upgrades.
“Those are standard conferences that we have to attend. It’s not a first-class type of upgrade…. Southwest doesn’t have special boarding, so you go from C boarding to A boarding, so we’re trying to get in, get to the airport or do whatever. It’s not a policy violation,” she said.
She said the professional development conferences are to learn information regarding what works well with other school districts and best practices that can be implemented here. Cousins pointed to the district’s city-wide education plan and governance guidelines that were put in place as a result.
She also said some of the professional development expenses on the superintendent’s credit card were so teachers and principals could also improve in their positions.
“Most of that $1.6 million was professional development for the entire district, for some of the principals going on professional development, some of your teachers. This is something that is absolutely needed…. This is how you see your return on investments. Our students’ reading levels have improved,” she said.
Cousins said the investigation of spending is continuing.
“We are taking a deep dive… The Amazon charges, I mean that’s supplies, things of that nature that the Board Secretary was actually buying for the board,” she said
“The Board really didn’t sit down and look at credit card spending. That wasn’t the job or responsibility of the board in the past. Because of this, yes, we are putting safeguards in place.”
A 55-page independent report stated that Scarlett violated several district policies around expenditures, hiring protocols and authorizing unapproved administrative pay.
She allegedly used district-provided credit cards to pay for unauthorized travel and offered high-paying salaries that were not approved by the board to candidates with whom she had relationships during her time as an administrator at Seattle Public Schools.
“It appears that the Superintendent directed the implementation of a new salary structure without Board approval which also included additional salary increases for cabinet members in excess of the amounts set forth in the compensation study,” the report states.
“Additionally, several promotions and position changes were implemented but not approved by the Board.”
The report also lists about $34,000 of “questionable” credit card transactions that violate district policy.
Cousins remains supportive of Interim superintendent Millicent Borishade.
“Given the nature of what she came into, she had no desire to be a superintendent. I think she’s doing an absolute fabulous job,” Cousins said, adding that “I think she has the ability to [be the permanent superintendent.”
She said SLPS, under Borishade’s leadership, has seen gains in enrollment and there is a plan to fix the transportation problems that surfaced at the start of the school year.
KSDK 5 On Your Side is a media partner with the St. Louis American.